Hi All, I have the ProLite Bracciano wheelset and the Rear Hub bearings have noticeable play, so I need to replace the 2 x 6901 bearings. The issue I have is that I do not have a bearing puller to remove them ... is it easy to get hold of one of these? If so, please let me know where can I get one ...

Or, is there another way to easily remove them without damaging the hub, axle, or even the bearings that I will be replacing ...

1. Remove the cassette2. Remove the hub cones (2x 5mm allen keys required)3. Hit the drive side axle with a rubber mallet, a few good short sharp hits and the non-drive side bearing will pop out and you can pass the axle straight through the hub to remove it at that point.4. Stick a screw driver through the non-drive side where the bearing used to be, ensure you have that screw driver in the bearing and not on the hub as you don't want to mark the hub. Bash it out with a hammer. That bearing will be completely ruined in this process.

Thats it in terms of getting them out. Step 4 would normally be done with a bearing puller at a workshop but if you are careful you won't damage anything.

jacks1071 wrote:1. Remove the cassette2. Remove the hub cones (2x 5mm allen keys required)3. Hit the drive side axle with a rubber mallet, a few good short sharp hits and the non-drive side bearing will pop out and you can pass the axle straight through the hub to remove it at that point.4. Stick a screw driver through the non-drive side where the bearing used to be, ensure you have that screw driver in the bearing and not on the hub as you don't want to mark the hub. Bash it out with a hammer. That bearing will be completely ruined in this process.

That's it in terms of getting them out. Step 4 would normally be done with a bearing puller at a workshop but if you are careful you won't damage anything.

Thanks Deon (jacks1071), really appreciated. I will give it a try ... hopefully it will all go well

jacks1071 wrote:1. Remove the cassette2. Remove the hub cones (2x 5mm allen keys required)3. Hit the drive side axle with a rubber mallet, a few good short sharp hits and the non-drive side bearing will pop out and you can pass the axle straight through the hub to remove it at that point.4. Stick a screw driver through the non-drive side where the bearing used to be, ensure you have that screw driver in the bearing and not on the hub as you don't want to mark the hub. Bash it out with a hammer. That bearing will be completely ruined in this process.

That's it in terms of getting them out. Step 4 would normally be done with a bearing puller at a workshop but if you are careful you won't damage anything.

Thanks Deon (jacks1071), really appreciated. I will give it a try ... hopefully it will all go well

Put the bearings in the freezer overnight, and they should just slide into place

cheersGlenn

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cheersGlenn

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cheersGlenn

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KL. wrote:Hi All, to ask, has anybody ever had any trouble with the freehub needle roller bearing, that runs directly on the axle, damaging the axle's surface ...

I've only ever seen one fail causing some pitting to the axle.

The owner claimed to have ridden 4000-5000kms without servicing the freehub. We recommend the freehub is serviced every 2000kms, more regularly if you ride in the wet.

If you want to maximise the product life some maintenance is required. Freehub service on a Pro-Lite Bracciano is a 10-minute job with basic tools and knowledge.

Is there a design fault with your hubs if they require servicing every 2,000kms? Is this the fault of the needle bearing? I have a set of cartridge bearing hubs which have covered over 10,000km without a service and are running fine. My better half has a set of Shimano wheels (cup and cone bearings) which have done 13,000km without a service and a still in good shape.

Any bearing requires maintenance for longevity. A quick grease every now and then is not unreasonable for a bearing.

CheersGlenn

-----------"Pain is temporary. It may last a minute, or an hour, or a day, or a year, but eventually it will subside and something else will take its place. If I quit, however, it lasts forever" Lance Armstrong

r2160 wrote:Any bearing requires maintenance for longevity. A quick grease every now and then is not unreasonable for a bearing.

CheersGlenn

Hi Glenn. I beg to differ. A servicing requirement every 2,000km is unreasonable. I know of few other hubs that require this high frequency servicing. I service my Shimano hubs every few years and that's all they need. As mentioned, another hub I have with cartridge bearings is going strong after over 10,000km without servicing.

r2160 wrote:Any bearing requires maintenance for longevity. A quick grease every now and then is not unreasonable for a bearing.

CheersGlenn

Hi Glenn. I beg to differ. A servicing requirement every 2,000km is unreasonable. I know of few other hubs that require this high frequency servicing. I service my Shimano hubs every few years and that's all they need. As mentioned, another hub I have with cartridge bearings is going strong after over 10,000km without servicing.

Your hub pawls and if you have any unsealed bearings in your hubs do require service if you want them to last as long as possible. If you ride always in the dry, you can stretch the intervals out quite a lot if you can't afford 10 minutes and 20c worth of grease to service them.

10,000km without servicing your hubs is not a good idea if you want to maximise their performance and life.

If you don't maintain your gear you should accept that parts might wear out prematurely.

Last edited by jacks1071 on Fri Jan 04, 2013 10:53 pm, edited 1 time in total.

KL. wrote:Hi All, to ask, has anybody ever had any trouble with the freehub needle roller bearing, that runs directly on the axle, damaging the axle's surface ...

I've only ever seen one fail causing some pitting to the axle.

The owner claimed to have ridden 4000-5000kms without servicing the freehub. We recommend the freehub is serviced every 2000kms, more regularly if you ride in the wet.

If you want to maximise the product life some maintenance is required. Freehub service on a Pro-Lite Bracciano is a 10-minute job with basic tools and knowledge.

Is there a design fault with your hubs if they require servicing every 2,000kms? Is this the fault of the needle bearing? I have a set of cartridge bearing hubs which have covered over 10,000km without a service and are running fine. My better half has a set of Shimano wheels (cup and cone bearings) which have done 13,000km without a service and a still in good shape.

Design fault with the free hub? I don't think so.

IMO these hubs are a better design than the Mavics I was using previously. Where the Pro-lites use needle bearings the Mavics use a nylon bush. I know what I would prefer.

Service every 2000km is no big deal if you can DIY. I did mine at 3000km and about to do them again at 6000km while I change out the cassette.

KL. wrote:Hi All, to ask, has anybody ever had any trouble with the freehub needle roller bearing, that runs directly on the axle, damaging the axle's surface ...

I've only ever seen one fail causing some pitting to the axle.The owner claimed to have ridden 4000-5000kms without servicing the freehub. We recommend the freehub is serviced every 2000kms, more regularly if you ride in the wet.If you want to maximise the product life some maintenance is required. Freehub service on a Pro-Lite Bracciano is a 10-minute job with basic tools and knowledge.

Is there a design fault with your hubs if they require servicing every 2,000kms? Is this the fault of the needle bearing? I have a set of cartridge bearing hubs which have covered over 10,000km without a service and are running fine. My better half has a set of Shimano wheels (cup and cone bearings) which have done 13,000km without a service and a still in good shape.

Hi biker jk, yes I agree, I would call 10,000+ kms low maintenance. I wouldn't call 2,000 kms or less low maintence. Actually, initially I was told the Bracciano hub should only need servicing every 4,000 to 6,000 kms or every time I change a cassette, and when I encountered the needle bearing/axle damage I was then told that I should be servicing the needle bearing and axle bearing surface every 2,500 kms. Interestingly it appears that it should now be every 2,000kms or less ... it is easy to service, but I would not call this low maintenance.

Is this a design fault ... no ... but I think that if the axle is damaged as a result, that this would indicate a design fault. Also, the fact that wet weather riding shortens this period, which means that the service period is now variable, complicates the matter, and makes this a high maintenance hub. The real issue, is the axle damage ...

As long as you are willing to service this hub every 1,000 to 2,000 kms then it would appear that everything should be fine.

The following is a picture of the axle bearing damage ...

Actually, when I replaced the axle and freehub, I replaced the 2 main ezo bearings with hybrid ceramic bearings, also. It would appear that this was a bad idea. After only 1,000 kms these bearings now have considerable play and need replacing. I was recommended these bearings by the distributor but from my experience I would not recommend hybrid ceramic bearings. I would stay with the original ezo bearings or even use the equivalent enduro bearings. These seem to be very good bearings.

I will let you know how easy it is to service this hub using jacks1071's instructions ...

Service intervals will vary depending on your riding conditions. I recommend to do the first couple of services around 2000kms - if its all clean and you can stretch it out.

I think if you serviced the freehub when you replace your chain assuming reasonably dry riding conditions that would be sufficient for most riders.

I'd rather tell people to service more regularly than required, than have them never service and having to replace hard parts like axles. This applies to any wheelset, its not Bracciano specific.

Anyone who leaves hub service to 10,000kms isn't maximising the life or performance of their hub components. Rather than not service then have to replace parts when they fail, much more economical to maintain them.

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